Christmas boxes for 41st Brigade on their way

The group putting together the boxes was headed up by the Tigard Breakfast Rotary

The Times, Dec 11, 2009

Community members gathered on the morning of Dec. 4 at the Tualatin V.F.W. hall to pack care boxes for the 41st Brigade Combat Team of the Oregon National Guard, who are based in Tigard and stationed in Iraq.

The group was led by members of the Tigard Breakfast Rotary, and they managed to pack 32 boxes full of “Oregon goodies,” including cards from children at St. Anthony Catholic Church, holly branches, cedar chips, jam and other essentials like toothpaste. The boxes were sent to eight “forward based” chaplains in 41st BCT, with the intention of distributing them to soldiers who don’t receive other mail. DVDs of the recent Civil War football game were also included in some boxes.

According to Dale Potts, the VFW post commander, chaplains in the company “make it their business to know” when soldiers aren’t receiving mail or other notes from family. Sometimes, he said, this is because they were foster children and don’t have the same support system other soldiers do.

Besides support from the Rotary Club, local Wells Fargo and Starbucks stores also donated supplies.